Wednesday 13 July 2016

Med Gulls

In the excitement over last weeks Rosefinch, I neglected to broadcast my report of 3 Mediterranean Gulls over the marsh.



On sunday the 5th ten minutes before i first heard the finch, a flock of c40 Black-headed gulls were circling high above, in amongst the calls of the Black heads I heard the more nasal 'posh' sounding call of Med gull,  Scanning the flock i picked out an adult and second summer.  Most birds in the flock, black heads included, were moulting inner primaries.


Adult and 2nd Summer birds

Looking at the images later on, i found a first summer bird in there too. Apologies for bad photos, the birds were high up.


I couldn't see any Juvs, so perhaps non and failed breeders relocating. July is a time for med gull movement along the south coast so i imagine the thames estuary birds move about now too.

Even though they breed in their hundreds in the mouth of the Thames, Med gull is a difficult bird to see on the patch. A few years ago a had a second winter bird early November fly over the bomb crater field and I've struggled to see one since. Both Paul and Davey L have seen an adult since these birds, but i imagine thats a different bird to the adult in this flock as they remained high up and drifted NE.

@jarpartridge

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